Yoga is a tried and tested way to improve flexibility and get fit – but did you know it could also be extremely helpful for anyone with arthritis? Here’s a look at the benefits of yoga for arthritis and a list of some yoga asanas for arthritis that you could try.
Benefits Of Yoga For Arthritis Patients
Arthritis, regardless of which kind you have, tends to bring on certain very specific symptoms. Experiencing stiffness or pain and swelling in the joints is quite common . All these result in difficulty with movement and may hamper day-to-day activity. So what can yoga do to help?
Yoga stabilizes joints by strengthening the muscles surrounding them. This, in turn, helps ease the pain . If you’ve cut back on using a certain leg because of arthritic pain, you may notice the muscles there weaken over time from disuse. This may further impair the range of motion and cause pain when used. Practicing yoga can help you restore movement to these joints and make such muscles stronger.
It also eases tension and improves the flexibility of your joints. Regular yoga practice should also help with balance . Being a gentle form of exercise, it is usually fine for most people with arthritis to do safely. However, always check with your doctor before starting any new exercise regimen.
Yoga Asanas For Arthritis
Certain yoga asanas designed for arthritis can provide relief. Here are some recommended yoga asanas for arthritis:
- Veerbhadrasana or Warrior pose to build lower back, leg, and arm strength and help ease shoulder stiffness
- Setubandhasana or Bridge pose which is good for the back, spine, and neck
- Marjariasana or Cat stretch to stretch the entire body and help with both strength and flexibility
- Vrikshasana or Tree pose which helps you improve balance is good for back and leg strengthening
- Shavasana or Corpse pose eases stress and relaxes the body which may help with the pain as well
Coping With Arthritis Pain: Topical Pain Relief Remedies
Omnigel is a topical pain relief remedy that can help with arthritis related pain and stiffness. This pain relief gel (also available as a pain relief spray) is sold nationwide over-the-counter and can be used to alleviate pain in the joints, inflammation, as well as stiffness. Whether your pain is due to a frozen shoulder or arthritis, simply apply to the affected area and you should feel a difference almost immediately as the pain eases.
Omnigel and Omnigel can be used for a variety of muscle or joint pains, offering a simple way to get quick relief through a topical remedy. Available from pharmacies online and offline.